


A King's Lament

by Penjaculations



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies)
Genre: Alternate au where Bilbo dies instead of Thorin, BotFA spoilers - Freeform, Gen, Oneshot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-23
Updated: 2015-01-23
Packaged: 2018-03-08 18:05:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3218420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Penjaculations/pseuds/Penjaculations
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An alternate ending of BoTFA where Bilbo dies instead of Thorin.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A King's Lament

Thorin stares defiantly at the pale Orc as he slides under the ice. For a moment the faint beginnings of a smile settle on his face, because he thinks he’s won. He thinks that now, finally, he can rest easy knowing Azog the Defiler is dead once and for all. But his triumph is short-lived. Beneath the ice, Azog’s eyes snap open and his sword slashes up and through the ice, embedding in Thorin’s foot.

The giant Orc crashes through the ice, bellowing out a war-cry as Thorin staggers backward. Just on the edge of the frozen expanse, Bilbo sits hunched, watching the fight with a mounting terror. It’s obvious Thorin is at the end of his strength as he stumbles and falls. With an angry shout Thorin manages to scramble to his feet, but only in time to come face to face with another Orc.

The fight with this Orc does not last long before Thorin’s sword is knocked from his hand and he’s pushed onto his back. The Orc raises his weapon and Thorin closes his eyes, expecting death. What he gets is death, but not his own, and he opens his eyes in time to see Orcrist embedded in his foe’s chest.

As the dead creature falls over the cliff behind him, Thorin snags the sword from its chest and stands, facing Azog once more. From his safe spot on the edge of the lake, Bilbo’s fear grows, but he swallows it down and silently inches down the bank in an effort to get closer to where Thorin stands.

The young king advances on Azog, his intent clearly written on his face. For a moment Bilbo’s fear fades as Thorin silently circles the Orc. He is so sure of himself, that Bilbo believes briefly that surely his friend can defeat any foe, no matter how large. But his optimism is short-lived as Thorin suddenly loses his footing, beginning to slip on the ice. Seemingly without his brain having decided to do so, Bilbo finds himself on his feet and rushing toward Thorin, who is now on his back.

Azog’s deformed sword-arm lifts above the dwarf just as Bilbo reaches them. There is no hesitation in the little hobbit’s mind as he shoves Thorin out of the way as hard as he can. Relief settles on his face as he realizes Thorin is, for now, out of harms way. A sudden, searing pain wipes the look from his face, and Bilbo chokes out a startled groan. For a few seconds Thorin is frozen in horror as he watches the blow that was meant for him slide into Bilbo’s chest.

Rage fills the dwarf’s mind and he simply reacts, rising to his feet shouting all of the most foul curses in Khuzdul he can think of. He lunges at Azog, plunging his sword into the orc’s chest and shoving him away from Bilbo. Even after the Orc has breathed his last Thorin continues to stab the brute, overcome with anger and grief until he comes to his senses long enough to remember Bilbo, still sprawled helplessly on the ground.

Thorin drops his sword, staggering to his friend’s aid. He already knows there’s nothing he can do, that Bilbo only has a few precious minutes left, and a sob wrenches itself unwillingly from his throat as he kneels at Bilbo’s side. The hobbit’s breaths come out in shuddering gasps, and he struggles for a moment before finding his voice.

"W-will I be buried here, in Erebor?" He manages, his blood-stained mouth quirking up in a smile despite the situation. Thorin nods, swallowing past threatening sobs to choke out his response.

"If that is what you wish, master Baggins. I… I wish to part from you in friendship. If more valued home and hearth the world would be a much better place," Thorin replies weakly, somehow managing a smile of his own. Bilbo’s hands fumble at the pocket of his shirt for a moment before a shaking hand finally lifts, producing the acorn from Beorn’s home.

"P-promise me one thing, t-that you’ll make sure this finds… Finds its way to Bag End. Even if… If I cannot do it myself, I still wish for it to make it to my garden," Bilbo’s voice is shaking by the end of his request, and he sucks in a sudden, choked breath. Thorin barely finds his voice.

"I will see to it," he whispers, and Bilbo’s eyes flutter closed. For the briefest of seconds a smile of the purest contentment spreads across Bilbo’s face, and then a small breath puffs out of him like a sigh. His features go limp and Thorin pats at the hobbit’s face gently, able to pretend for a heartbreaking moment that Bilbo is only sleeping. The truth settles in Thorin’s gut like a hard stone and he bends over his fallen friend, no longer holding in his cries of anguish.


End file.
